how to be a social butterfly 101
Be confident. When you walk into a classroom, a party, a bar, WalMart, Olive Garden, WHERE EVER you have to have confidence. Demand (not literally) attention and SMILE. Smile until your cheeks hurt. No one wants to approach a sad or rude looking girl, this is a promise. The little you inside may be sweating bullets and screaming but the outer you has to appear to know what she's doing. But let me clarify the "demand attention" thing. I don't mean pull a Snooki and yell "PARTY'S HERE" when you walk into a room-- Don't do that. What I mean is more or less, hold your head high (not snobby though) and your shoulders back and nicely walk into where ever you are. People do notice these things.
Meeting people and/or talking to people is only as easy or as hard as you make it. Granted I am not shy whatsoever and would talk to a brick wall if I thought it would talk back and I know not everyone is like that. Say you're at a party or at a bar and you are waiting in line to use the bathroom and a girl has on a cute dress, shoes, top, etc TELL HER. It will start a simple conversation.
Example:
Michelle: Hey! Your shoes are so cute, where did you get them? *Smile*
Girl 2: Thank you! I got them at Target.
Michelle: Oh! I love Target. I'm Michelle by the way. *Smile*
Girl 2: Oh my God, me too. Target's the best. I'm Girl 2.
See? Simple conversation and you met someone new. Meeting new people at parties and bars isn't hard. You can strike up a conversation about anything. If you're waiting at the bar beside someone you don't know and it's taking a while to get a drink, you can joke about how long it's taken to get another drink and wait for his/her reply and then if the person was nice you can introduce yourself. NOTE: ALWAYS SHAKE HANDS! This may just be a Southern thing but it will impress someone if when you introduce yourself you initiate a handshake. I always shake people's hands (unless it's an awkward meeting situation). Look at it this way... these people may not remember your name but they will remember that you shook their hand.
The best way to meet and befriend a ton of people is to get involved on campus. Go Greek, join a club, GET INVOLVED! Also, meet the people in your classes. On the first or second day of class start talking to the people around you. It makes classes less boring and you never know when you may skip a day of notes you really need and they may have them. I've met some extremely nice people throughout my four years of college so far and I still, to this day, at least speak to them when I see them in public. I will promise you that being friendly will get you places in life.
Being shy may hinder your ability to blatently walk up to someone and talk to them, so you have to feel your way around. I would say to warm yourself up for meeting tons of people, make it your mission to meet one new person everyday or to meet three new people every week. You can strike up a conversation standing in the check out line at WalMart. Don't get me wrong, I've attempted to be friendly many times and the person I'm trying to be friendly to looks at me like I'm weird and is super short with me and I just simply smile and continue with whatever I'm doing.
If you have any questions about anything I've said or if you would like to know something that I didn't answer, please comment and/or email me.
This is great advice! Confidence is key. Great post girl! :)
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